Where Prosecco Gets Specific
Industry discussion and guided tasting · Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG · New York
Context
At the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Discussion and Tasting at Portale in New York, sommelier Taylor Parsons led the discussion and guided tasting. What stood out to me was the focus on individual places within the DOCG.
More specific places
The contrast with the broader Prosecco DOC was clear. At the event, the broader Prosecco DOC was discussed in terms of larger-scale, more standardized production. In Conegliano Valdobbiadene, the emphasis moved from Prosecco as a recognizable style toward smaller areas, sites, and parcels. The discussion contrasted this with a history of differentiating Prosecco more through sweetness level than place.
The event described average vineyard holdings in the DOCG as less than roughly one hectare per grower, while three cooperatives were said to account for roughly 40% of its production. Land was described as expensive. The vineyards can be highly fragmented even where production is concentrated.
Place came through in the growing conditions discussed. Southern areas or slopes were described as more humid, with richer clay soils and fruitier expression. Glera’s need for adequate water and its ability to retain acidity were also raised. These were observations about differences within the DOCG, rather than a single description of every vineyard.
Charmat came up as a method that can make wines more homogeneous. But the discussion also pointed to choices before the second fermentation, including shorter or longer primary fermentation, that affect the base wine. The method alone does not tell me how much of a site’s character will remain in the finished wine.
What I took away
I came away remembering a change in scale: from sweetness and style, to a denomination, to an area, and then to a site or parcel. The question that interests me is where within Conegliano Valdobbiadene a wine came from, and whether I can recognize that difference in the glass.
Notes from the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Discussion and Tasting in New York. Unless linked otherwise, figures and industry observations reflect material presented at the event; interpretations are my own.
Questions or corrections?
I welcome thoughtful questions and corrections. Email contact [at] linlib [dot] com.